The March 8 ‘MHP’ Syllabus

Sally Field speaks during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 2, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Photo by John Shearer

of year again – time for conservatives across the country to gather for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

Being left off the CPAC invite list is akin to a public scolding – a lesson New Jersey governor Chris Christie learned the hard way in 2013. This year, Gov. Christie was back in the fold as leading Republicans came together to bolster the GOP agenda. On Saturday’s Melissa Harris-Perry, we will take a closer look at who’s attending CPAC and what they have to say on everything from U.S. policy on Ukraine to domestic anti-poverty programs.

Two rural abortion clinics in Texas closed their doors this week as a result of Texas House Bill 2, the most restrictive of the state-level abortion laws passed in 2013. The shuttering of clinics in Beaumont and McAllen, Texas brings the number of abortion clinics in the state down to 20. Another 14 clinics could close in September when more restrictions take effect. That would leave only six clinics to serve the entire state.

But Texas is not the only state working to aggressively curtail abortion. The Alabama House this week passed a bill that if signed into law could potentially be the most restrictive abortion law in the nation. On Saturday, we’ll take a deep dive into the growing legislative movement to curb women’s access to safe abortions and reproductive healthcare. We’ll also be joined by msnbc national reporter Irin Carmon, who will debut a special report from her recent trip to speak with some anti-abortion activists who have begun holding demonstrations outside of high schools in Norman, Oklahoma. Be sure to visit MHPshow.com immediately after the show for more!

President Obama presented his budget outline for the 2015 fiscal year on Tuesday. In it, he underscored the importance of education, especially early education. But outside the beltway, another education debate is heating up and it’s one that will likely have national implications. On Saturday’s Melissa Harris-Perry, we’ll take a closer look at the emotional battle over charter schools in New York City.

Also, Academy Award winner and activist Sally Field will join us to celebrate International Women’s Day (which is Saturday) and share the work of Vital Voices Global Partnerships, an organization dedicated to helping women across the globe reach their full potential. We will also bring you the latest news as the situation in Ukraine continues to unfold.

Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Saturday at 10:00 am EST on MSNBC! Ari Melber, co-host of MSNBC’s The Cycle, will be in for host Melissa Harris-Perry. Also, don’t forget to join us on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.